Unwelcome Young Diabetes... Half of Men in Their 30s and 40s Do Not Receive Treatment

KDCA Releases In-Depth Report on Diabetes
Prevalence Increases: Men 18.3%, Women 13.5%
"Education and Management Needed for Young Diabetes Patients"

About half of men in their 30s and 40s with diabetes are unaware of their condition and therefore do not receive a diabetes diagnosis.

According to the "In-depth Report on Diabetes Management Indicators Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey" published by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 21st, the prevalence of diabetes among adults aged 30 and older in South Korea from 2019 to 2021 was 15.8%. Among them, the prevalence in men was 18.3%, about 5% higher than that in women (13.5%).

About half of men in their 30s and 40s have diabetes, but many are unaware of it and have not been diagnosed. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article.
Photo by Asia Economy DB

The report indicates that the number of adults aged 30 and older living with diabetes has been steadily increasing each year. In particular, men and women in their 30s and 40s often do not even realize they have the disease despite being patients, and their treatment rates are significantly low.

Looking at the trend since the full survey began 10 years ago, the prevalence increased steadily from 12.1% in 2011?2012 to 12.9% in 2013?2015 and 13.9% in 2016?2018.

Low Diabetes Awareness and Treatment Rates Regardless of Gender in 30s and 40s

Regarding diabetes, both awareness and treatment rates were found to be significantly low among people in their 30s and 40s, regardless of gender. Among women, the awareness rate was 48.6% and the treatment rate was 40.9%. In contrast, men in their 30s and 40s had an awareness rate of 51.6% from 2019 to 2021, which was particularly lower than other age groups. The treatment rate was recorded at 46.7%.

The diabetes awareness rate refers to the proportion of patients who have been diagnosed with diabetes by a doctor. This means that half of men in their 30s and 40s who have diabetes have not been diagnosed by a physician.

Regarding diabetes, both awareness and treatment rates were significantly lower in people in their 30s and 40s regardless of gender. Among women, the awareness rate was 48.6% and the treatment rate was 40.9%. In contrast, men in their 30s and 40s had an awareness rate of 51.6% from 2019 to 2021, which was notably lower than other age groups. The treatment rate was recorded at 46.7%.
[Photo by Asia Economy DB]

For those in their 50s and 60s, the awareness rates were 66.8% for men and 67.8% for women, while treatment rates were 60.8% and 65.5%, respectively. Among those aged 70 and older, the rates were even higher, with men’s awareness rate at 75.9% and women’s at 78.7%, approaching 80%, and treatment rates of 72.8% for men and 76.7% for women.

The control rate, which refers to the proportion of people with diabetes who maintain their glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) below 6.5%, has remained around 25% without significant change since 2011.

Smoking in Men and Obesity in Women Increase Diabetes Risk

Factors that hinder diabetes control showed significant differences by gender. For men, smoking was a major factor, while for women, obesity and low educational level were significant factors.

Compared to non-smokers, current male smokers were 1.32 times more likely to have poor diabetes control, and women who were obese were 1.41 times more likely to have poor diabetes control compared to those with normal weight.

On the other hand, men whose carbohydrate intake ratio was below 55% showed better diabetes control.

Additionally, for preventing vascular complications in people with diabetes, controlling glycated hemoglobin, blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol was less effective in younger men and those who did not perform strength training. For women, low educational level had an impact.

Professor Lee Yong-je of Gangnam Severance Hospital, who conducted this in-depth analysis study, emphasized, "Given that the awareness and treatment rates in people in their 30s and 40s are much lower than in other age groups and that the control rate shows no difference, focused education and management for younger patients are necessary."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.